I am referring to that voice inside us that tries to take us off track, tries to take us to a place of evil rather than joy. I have witnessed varying degrees of depression yet always feel like there is so much more to learn.  What I have learned from many of my close friends and family is that it is a battle that is fought daily.  It is a choice made daily to choose joy and to have hope.  Working through those negative voices inside our heads reaching for something greater, blocking out the negativity. Reaching out in faith…

Few of us imagined that life would be like it is right now.  Who would’ve thought we would be living in a world of social distancing, life without seeing facial expressions, greeting someone with no contact, and being quarantined from some of those we love?  The element of change is always around us, but sometimes change is much more significant, more than we imagined. Years ago I remember a teacher nearing retirement telling me, “I feel so bad that you’re going into education now because it has changed so much.  Student behavior is so much more difficult and…

I use prayer abundantly and rely on my faith:  here is a glimpse into the humiliation and love I was exposed to recently.  I found myself in a situation that was extremely awkward for myself, for those around me, and for the person who appeared to be losing self-esteem, self-confidence, and pride.  It was one of those situations where I felt quite helpless regarding how to assist in the situation and yet so uneasy about the tone of what was going on around me. I arrived near the end of what transpired, so I can only imagine what…

As I watched the streaming of Hamilton, one particular line stood out to me. The line was “Talk less, smile more.” Although the perfect line for the play, what came to my mind was “Talk less, listen more.”   Listen to gain an understanding I listen to others so I can understand what people are going through and so that I can learn from their experiences.  Listening is simple, but not always easy.  I enjoy learning about what is important to those around me and have a listening ear when one needs to vent.  The challenging part comes with all the…